the ghats of varanasi

The ghats of Varanasi are a fantastic interaction with India in all shapes, sizes, forms and volume levels! Like a densely packed Gujarati thaali, there is always something new and lots of choice to find your favourite!  Cows jostling along with the faithful, and then street dogs chasing each other. In the water, the fervent believer dipping his head in the water, making his offerings to … Continue reading the ghats of varanasi

100 books in #365days by August 2014 – where am i today?

i am swimming in an ocean of images, of coherent thoughts, of brilliant cliches and hardworking words… i am traveling, lunching in multiple cities, dreaming in new continents, sleeping in different beds and trying to understand life through another’s strife. i am seeing a new part of myself as i discover my own roots too! the brilliance of stories. presenting the list of books done … Continue reading 100 books in #365days by August 2014 – where am i today?

graffiti in varanasi

graffiti has always meant rebellion for me! mumbai proved me wrong. walls were covered with the permission of the residents of that house / building. read more about my discovery of graffiti in bandra. but still, graffiti didn’t become ‘acceptable’. it has always had that streak of mischief embedded. so, varanasi and graffiti” in the same breath, didn’t seem possible to me. afterall, varanasi is … Continue reading graffiti in varanasi

you are reading a TOP blog of INDIA!

and you are reading one of the top blogs in india – this is a list of the top 500 blogs in india. they have a process of selection and I’d like to believe it’s extremely rigorous and I got selected. doing my little dance around in my chair which involves me bouncing about in a rather sloppy, podgy way. interestingly, I made it to … Continue reading you are reading a TOP blog of INDIA!

the two sides of hauz khas, new delhi

you are at hauz khas, new delhi. There is the glitzy glamour of the designer boutiques on the main road… with their brightly lit front glass shop fronts, the slim mannequins that make everything look runway fresh and their dangerous promises to transform an average Jane into a Kate Moss. The halo of consumerism is alive here, tempting even the most inept window browser and pushing … Continue reading the two sides of hauz khas, new delhi

hauz khas – heritage for you and me

The Hauz Khas I was told to visit was all shops, designer outlets and eclectic array of restaurants, cafes and bars. That’s why I went there, for tea and then to meet a friend for dinner. The sheer density of shops startled me – neither did it have the cramped quirkiness of an actual bazaar, nor did it have the feel of a nice up-market mall. … Continue reading hauz khas – heritage for you and me

8 reasons why you should visit the indian institute of advanced study, shimla

there he stood, in a dark greyish black sweatshirt and with a calm, quiet voice he said, “please gather around, we will begin shortly. i am a research student here and i will be your guide for the day.” what followed was a 30 minute treat where we roamed around the indian institute of advanced study, listened to stories, checked out exhibits and clicked a few … Continue reading 8 reasons why you should visit the indian institute of advanced study, shimla

book review: degree coffee by the yard – good & bad

my foray into reading non-fiction began with city of djinns by william dalrymple. i loved the book, the narrative, what he chose to include and what he chose leave out, his entire journey of discovery of this city. with the lens of an outsider he managed to get under the skin, and show me a delhi that i actually fell in love with. (am a … Continue reading book review: degree coffee by the yard – good & bad